THE LOST CROWN

Chapter 2: About that Kiss

"Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight.
Just a touch by the fire, burning so bright.
I don't wanna mess this thing up.
I don't push too far."
-Just a Kiss; Lady Antebellum

"There. I have all four of them on PokéFace," May said as a notification appeared saying that Gary Oak had accepted her friend request.

Leaf smiled, "I accepted all of theirs yesterday but I had to add Paul. I heard he doesn't friend request anyone."

"NOOOO!" Dawn wailed. "Can I just live with Ash, Gary and Drew?"

"He is your king," May pointed out.

"It's below my dignity to add him."

As Leaf logged into Dawn's account and friend requested Paul, May smiled as Dawn tried to stop her. After a second Paul accepted.

"Whoa, it took that idiot three days to accept mine!" Leaf fumed.

May agreed, "Took him two days to accept mine."

Dawn just shrugged and proceeded to go through his profile with Leaf.

May laid on the bed, resting her head. She wondered how such different guys could be such good friends. Ash had added them the same day he met them. And they all had to add Paul who took forever to accept. Ash was something different. He was nice and he and in power. You would think that if they were actually power obsessed then they would kick Ash out since he would have been the weak link of the four. But she liked Ash, she liked him enough. And he would ask her out.

They split to go to their respective activities which were postponed two weeks, Leaf and Dawn to go shopping. May to her date.

She met Ash at the skating rink.

"Hey," he said pecking her cheek.

"Hi, you ready?"

"So ready, I've been excited for this all day."

It was a new experience for her. Skating with him. It made a difference.

Holding her hands gently, he swept her across the ice. It was like the waltz. She floated in a lovelorn daze.

They came back to campus and she was still in a daze. How could she give details when it just went by for her?

Drew crossed paths with them as walked towards May's dorm.

"Hey Drew!"

"Hey guys!" he said sarcastically. "Are you two planning on eating lunch with us?"

May pretended she had to think about it. Of course she had to say yes. "Well…that depends who "us" is."

"Me, Jimmy and Paul. You can invite Dawn and Zoey."

"Perfect. I'll just go grab them. Wait…no Briana?" she raised a hopeful eyebrow at Drew.

"Mad cow disease has been spreading around," Drew smirked at May's embarrassment. "We got into a fight. I told her not to come near us."

May internally jumped for joy. NO BRIANA. Best news she had heard all day.

"Well good for you, Drew."

"Don't try to hide your internal happiness Maple."

"Oh I'm not and you can bet that Dawn won't either."

Ash coughed as if to prove he was still there. "Well go get them, I'm starving!"

Lunch was confusing to anyone who wasn't there. And May was going to have a hard time explaining it to Leaf.

…

May was silently waiting. She didn't want to bore Leaf with the details of her date even though she had asked.

Why hadn't Ash asked her out already? This better not be a fling. And Drew and Dawn, at lunch. What was that? Surely they aren't going to date. They can't.

Drew has become easier to know due to whatever effect Dawn had on him. Was he bewitched? Ha, Drew Hayden bewitched by Dawn Berlitz. That could never happen.

But still, May had no idea why it bothered her. Dawn and Drew. Drew and Dawn. Their names don't even go good together!

Did Dawn think that she couldn't handle Drew? She needed to know. After lunch, May knew Dawn was clever but not deviously clever. Anyone who passed them would have thought there was a love triangle between Paul, Dawn and Drew.

And Briana's question burned in her brain.

"What's going on between Dawn and Drew?"

Nothing.

That's what she had said.

"May!"

Ash ran towards her, with Gary walking calmly, his eyes fixed on Leaf. The scowl of rejection written all over his face.

WHAT WAS GOING ON?

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

That question snapped May back to reality.

And she knew exactly what to say. She was ready.

"Yes."

To Leaf, this was nothing new. Dawn and Melody got along perfectly and May ditched their shopping day with Melody and Marina to go on a date. And she didn't even tell them. Dawn and Leaf knew they would get a whole analysis when she came back. But still...! Not even a notice.

She bet it was with Ash; the two of them were very comfy at the club that night.

Speaking of that night, Gary had kissed her. She internally winced as she remembered he and his friends were at Snowy Outlets today too, and she's be damned if they didn't run into each other.

As they entered Oddish Outfitters, Leaf pondered what she would say to Gary.

God, he just HAD to kiss her, didn't he? Bastard.

Why did he have to be such a good kisser?

"Hey Leaf, come check this out! It'd look great on you!" Melody called out to her.

Leaf smiled and, realizing that she couldn't think of anything now, decided to indulge herself in shopping.

Dawn and Marina threw her a white skirt, green sweater, brown shorts, black tank, a forest green dress and a blue ruffled shirt and sent her to the dressing room. Melody came time to time to throw her some new clothes, like a yellow, flowered dress and a black skirt. Mel. also threw shoes which Leaf had to avoid hitting her.

After the four of them bought up what seemed like the entire store, they walked out. Leaf was pulling out the necklace she bought to show Marina when she bumped into someone.

"Sorry," she turned to see who she hit, only to have the smile fade from her face.

She quickly turned around to keep walking but Gary grabbed her hand. "Hey, wait a minute there, Branch."

"It's Leaf."

Gary just smiled at her, "I knew that."

"So how's your 'supplies shopping' going?"

"I bought some pants too."

Leaf just nodded and smiled. A silence filled the air, until she decided to speak again.

"About that kiss," she started. Gary's expression picked up. "I just want you to know that it didn't mean anything to me."

It was Gary's turn to nod and smile, "That's cool. I'll see you around."

He turned and walked to where Drew and Paul were waiting for him.

Leaf just stared at him in confusion of his reaction until Dawn tugged her sleeve.

"Ash wasn't with them," Dawn whispered to her.

But she couldn't think about where Ash was.

All she could think about was Gary.

…

Leaf's mouth dropped. Ash had just asked out May. They are an official couple.

Of course, just as May and her were walking, they had to run into Ash and Gary and they just had to stop to talk to them. As Ash was confessing, Gary was staring at her intensely. And he laughed silently when her mouth dropped.

"Bye, May and uhhh, sorry I forgot your name," Ash apologized.

"Leaf."

"Bye, May and Leaf."

May squealed. "Bye Ash!"

"Branch," Gary nodded before walking off.

Poor May, her and Ash won't last. She gave it a month, tops. This was a relationship based on impulsive decision and quick feelings. Soon enough they would see that they weren't meant for each other. But good for May, getting, if not them, but herself in the King's section. They definitely needed at least one of them in there as fast as they could. She and Dawn had agreed, if would be May through Ash. But they had to find a fast way to get them in or keep her in before they broke up. And they did not have much time. As soon as May and Ash got out of their honeymoon period, it was splitsville.

She considered telling May this but she didn't want to ruin May's happy mood.

Her mood on the other hand, ruined, confused, shameful. She let Gary kiss her, like she was one of his cheerleaders he had following him everywhere. She was not one of them and she wouldn't be.

But where was she supposed to go from there?

Ignore him? No. He was her king, her responsibility.

Seduce him? Over her dead body.

Pretend it never happened? How could she? It kept replaying in her mind.

"Leaf? LEAF?" May snapped in front of her face.

"Oh what?"

"You totally just spaced out. Anyway can you believe that, Ash asked me out! I'm in."

Good on May, never forgetting the mission.

"And he's so cute. Have you seen that one strand of his hair that just…"

Leaf droned May out as she started going on about Ash. She had more important things to think about.

Namely, Gary.

She had to figure out what to do.

"You might be the biggest jackass I have ever met."

"Okay."

"Okay, that's it?"

"Okay."

"Are you ever listening to me?"

Paul turned and asked innocently, "I'm sorry, were you talking to me?"

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! She internally exploded. No one and she meant no one ever ignored Dawn Berlitz.

Of course, Leaf goes for lattes with Melody and Marina while Dawn comes back because she promised she would have lunch with May who probably forgot. Now she waits outside their dorm house along with Paul who happened to be waiting as well. He probably got ditched too if he was waiting for Ash- wait, why were they meeting outside the girl's dorm house? Whatever, it didn't matter. She turned quickly away from Paul to look for May. She heard May calling her along with Zoey.

"Hey guys!"

Then she noticed them, Ash, Drew and Jimmy with them.

"We are going to eat lunch together!" Ash cheered.

Oh the only reason you are cheering to have lunch as a group is so you can talk with May without people interfering. She had to give Ash credit, it was clever.

"Excuse me?" Paul growled. "What do you mean we are eating lunch together?"

"Probably, exactly what it sounds like Paul. Are you too scared to eat lunch with us? I promise I don't have any cooties," Dawn sneered.

She checked Drew's smirk and raised an eyebrow. She walked over to him and they walked together. In their group of seven, it was split as they walked towards a sandwich shop. May and Ash, her and Drew, Zoey and Jimmy were goofing around. And Paul solemnly walking by himself at the rear with his hands in his pockets. "What was that smirk?" she asked Drew.

"What smirk," he asked innocently.

"Don't play dumb with me."

"Speaking of dumb," he called out to the rest of them, "Where's Gary? And speaking of Gary, where's Leaf?"

Dawn answered on Leaf's behalf. "Lattes with Marina and Melody."

"Gary is sulking in his room," Paul answered.

"Sulking?" she asked Drew.

"Leaf told him something I guess."

Their picnic consisted of their seven underneath a tree with their sandwiches on plates and milkshakes on coasters.

May and Ash were secluded in their own little world but the rest of them were laughing loudly and having a grand time. So this is the way of royalty about here, Dawn mused. She could get used to this. She realized Marina, Melody and Jimmy were extended royalty.

Dawn felt Drew stiffen when Briana came by. She was walking near to them and Drew felt as if she was going to stop and join them.

"Hey best friend, I need a favor." Drew whispered in her ear.

"And that is?"She asked.

"Lean into me, I'm gonna put my arm around you. We are gonna act like May and Ash."

"Because of Briana?"

"Yes, I wanna scare her off. And in your case, we can kill two birds with one stone." Drew nodded toward Paul.

Dawn didn't really understand what Drew was hinting at but she trusted him. She leaned into him and giggled. He put his arm around her and smiled to her. She played with his hair.

"Use some conditioner will ya?" she whispered.

"Shut up. My hair is perfect. Look at them."

Dawn stole a glance. Briana froze. It was pitiful that her best form of entertainment was torturing that dumb girl. But she wasn't the only one. Their whole picnic froze, not that Dawn and Drew noticed. But Dawn noticed what Drew was hinting at.

Paul was staring at them, with- was that jealousy in his eyes?

After their picnic, Dawn was waiting for May after everyone left. She saw Briana stomp over to May and look at her. Dawn gave her a disgusted look in return.

To: May
From: Dawn

What does the mad cow want?

To: Dawn
From: May

She wants to know what's up with you and Drew.

To: May
From: Dawn

Jealousy much? Anyway I have to catch up with him. See you darling.

So, Drew, this is what you went by killing two birds with one stone: Briana and Paul. She couldn't help but feel there was a third bird being hit as well.

…

Dawn found that Drew had beaten her to her thinking spot: their lunch tree.

"So I'm guessing you've heard."

She nodded. The news of May and Ash spread like wildfire between their groups.

"We all feel the same way I'm assuming?" He beckoned her to join him under the tree and pink sun was beginning to set.

"That we want to be happy for them but we can't when we know it's not going to last?"

Drew agreed, "Exactly. You, me, Leaf, Gary, even Paul can see that they aren't compatible in the very least."

"I guess Leaf and I can put up with it because she's happy."

"Look, there's something you don't know about Ash. He can't do long-term relationships. He sucks at them. He's too fickle in love. He changes his mind or falls for someone else. I mean Melody was broken when Ash suddenly dumped her and went after some other girl."

"Ash dated Melody? What about Marina?"

"Are you kidding? Jimmy would kill Ash if he came two feet near Marina with romantic intentions. Gary already warned Ash off Leaf, but I doubt he was listening. His attraction to May was instant."

"Whoaaaaa. Hold up a sec. Marina and Jimmy I can believe but Gary protecting Leaf? He has known her for what, two weeks?"

"Hey it only took us one day to become best friends."

Dawn sighed dramatically, "But Drew! This is friendship, his intention is love. That does not happen in one day."

"But sometimes it does."

Dawn turned and saw Drew looking at her then he nodded towards Paul who had been walking about twenty feet away and stopped to look at them.

"FOR THE TWENTIETH TIME, I DO NOT LIKE HIM."

Drew smirked and flicked his hair, "Never said you did."

"I don't. Remember that Hayden."

"Of course, Madam Berlitz."

At this time, May was standing near Paul and looked in the same direction as him to see Dawn and Drew laughing together.

Drew looked at Dawn, "But there is something about Paul you should know…"

"We've attracted too much attention Drew," Dawn cut him off spotting May. "Remember, May can't know any of this."

"Secrets," Drew tsked. "I thought you girls never kept any of this."

"I'm also sure that keeping this same secret from Ash is in violation of your Bro Code," Dawn challenged.

"Touché."

"See you tomorrow."

"Same, check your phone tomorrow before lunch."

Dawn looked at her strawberry pink phone before looking at Drew. "Fine."

She and Drew walked together before they split to their friends, Dawn to May and Drew to Paul.

"So," May asked, "Are you going to offering to relieve me of Drew?"

"Of course not, someone has to take Paul."

There was a secret, one so small.
One so rational.
But in lines of love, irrationality rules.
We are irrational with our love for you.
Secrets pour on many sides, won't you care to listen.
Protection; I don't want you to be hurt.
Betrayal; what are you doing?
Maybe rationality could help us all.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this short chapter. Dawn and Drew are not going to be a couple, I didn't list them for the beginning so it will not be. For what I have planned for them soon, it would be gross. And also I suck at Advanceshipping, but not at criticizing it. That will come to an end soon. Hopefully, I'll be better at writing the other couples that aren't my regulars.

Next time: May and Ash are staring to have some problems and they break up. Dawn realizes she really likes Paul, but decides to keep it a secret and doesn't take the time to listen to what Drew is trying to warn her of. Gary helps Leaf with an art project, leading to another kiss.

Until then, Review!

-SG